Category Archives: Low FODMAP Diet

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Wouldn’t it be great to go to the grocery store and see food labeled as low FODMAP? Can you image the time (and frustration) it would save you? I am flashing back to day 2 of my low FODMAP elimination diet when I was in the grocery store. I had just read the ingredient label of (what felt like) the 1,000th product and realized how many foods I couldn’t eat. Frustrated and tired from spending 3 hours in the grocery store, I crumpled to the ground and started crying right in the aisle. I was inconsolable… my poor husband!

I think to how that grocery store meltdown could have been avoided if there were foods labeled as “low FODMAP.” Gluten free labeled products have (thankfully) exploded onto the shelves in recent years and it would be great to see that trend with low FODMAP products. It would make getting started on the FODMAP diet so much easier for those with digestive issues.

Enter the new Be Nice Low FODMAP Protein Bar….

It’s the first product to be labeled as “low FODMAP,” not to mention it’s all natural, gluten free, soy free, corn free and dairy free. Sounds nice and safe, right? But, does it taste like cardboard? No!

I was lucky enough to get a sample of this new bar, and I’ll be honest, I had pretty low expectations. (I’ve tried enough gluten free products!) Shockingly, I was pretty impressed. First of all, it’s a peanut butter based bar with dairy free chocolate. Yes, chocolate! It’s tasty and filling. I had a small square sample, which was the ideal snack. The full sized bars will be over 200 calories, which could easily be two separate snacks in my world.

What I am most excited about is the beginning of low FODMAP labeling. As part of the this product’s Kickstarter campaign, they want to develop additional products with the low FODMAP label, which would strongly reduce grocery store meltdowns! As a long-time advocate of the low FODMAP diet, this would be a huge accomplishment to help those suffering from digestive issues, like myself.

I’m not affiliated with this promotion in any way, shape or form. They sent me a product to try for free and if I liked it, I would write about it. So, here I am. I am excited to promote this product as a trailblazer in low FODMAP labeling. I know it will lead to more happy people that can manage their IBS symptoms more easily. I would have killed for this product 2 years ago! If you want more information, here’s the Nice Protein Bar Website and if you want to back this project, here’s the Nice Protein Bar Kickstarter Campaign.

When I found I had to give up garlic and onion with the low FODMAP diet, I was devastated… simply devastated. I put garlic on everything… cloves, seasoning, powder or in any form where I could add it to my food. My husband would often make jokes like “at least I know you’re not a vampire” or “would you like some chicken with that garlic?” So embarking on the low FODMAP diet was a huge lifestyle change for me (to put it mildly).

So how does a garlic and onion lover get by on the low FODMAP diet? Surprisingly, very easy. It’s a great time to welcome new spices into your life and learn how to use them. But don’t give up on garlic and onion just yet, there’s some great substitutes and replacements that will have both your taste buds and your body smiling.

Tips on Adding Flavor without the FODMAPs:

Garlic Infused (Extra Virgin) Olive Oil – The fructans in garlic are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so garlic infused olive oil is a great way to get the garlic into your meal without the pain. There are a few different ways to go about this:

Make it in a slow cooker. Get some garlic cloves, peel them and throw them in a slow cooker with your desired amount of oil. Once you heat for 3-4 hours on low, remove and discard the garlic. It makes your place smell delightful! However, the oil doesn’t last that long (about 1 week) and I didn’t fee safe eating it since bits of garlic were floating around here and there.

Make it every time you plan to use it. Simmer the oil you plan to use and add a peeled garlic clove for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Discard the garlic clove when finished. This is much easier since you don’t have excess to use, but you have to have garlic on hand at all times. I don’t like this method because it makes me sad to constantly have garlic in the house. Silly, yes, but out of sight, out of mind.

Buy it. Easiest method in my book! It can be pricey, but I found a great option at Trader Joe’s for $3.99 and another option at my local grocery store for $5.99. Before I found it locally, I purchased it on Amazon. It keeps forever without the hassle or mess. Plus there’s no tempting garlic staring at you from the refrigerator.

Gluten Free Asafoetida Powder (Hing) – This bright yellow powder is a great replacement for that onion or garlic taste. This Indian spice is ideal for soups, marinades, dressings, etc. A little goes a long way. I initially read about this magical substitute on every FODMAP blog and ran around town trying to find it. I encountered two problems. First, asafoetida powder is very hard to find. I went to every Indian/Asian store and came up empty handed. Finally, when I did find it, I realized most asafoetida powder is made with wheat flour, which does not work within the guidelines of the low FODMAP diet. I searched online and finally found it made with rice flour at MySpiceSage.com, but they recently changed their ingredients to contain white flour. I haven’t had to buy it more recently, but I have seen it at HerbStop and Spices, Inc.

Green Onions/Scallions/Spring Onions (Green Part Only) – Whatever you call them, they’re a great addition to any dish to get the onion flavor. When you’re cutting them (from the green side), as soon as you feel some onion texture inside, stop and throw out the rest of the white part.

Chives – My newest love. Chives are a great addition to anything! Fresh or dried, I can’t get enough!

Spices – Now is a great time to discover spices you may never have used before. I never knew how to use them, so this was a great learning experience for me. Fresh or dried works, just ensure that there are no hidden ingredients (garlic, onion, wheat, “spices,” natural flavor, etc.) mixed in. Here are my most used spices:

Salt

Pepper

Basil

Oregano

Parsley

Cilantro

Rosemary

Cumin

Paprika

Thyme

Cayenne Pepper

Jalapeno Powder

Roasted Red Pepper Flakes

Hot Peppers – If you like a little heat, there are a number of great options here. Jalapeno peppers, cayenne peppers, banana peppers, habanero peppers, green chilis, etc. can all add some great flavor to your dishes.

Vinegars – There are a variety of types of vinegar on the market, and some will work within the guidelines of the low FODMAP diet, and some won’t. Be careful of additives like apple, fruit and honey. Red Wine Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar and Balsamic Vinegar are staples in my house and are the base of many sauces and dressings I make.

After a list like this, it’s exciting to see all the new options for adding flavor to your low FODMAP dishes. I have never felt so confident in my cooking skills and I definitely don’t miss having “onion eyes.” Have anything else to add? I’d love to hear it!

The low FODMAP diet is not a life-long diet that you must adhere to… thank goodness! It’s a diet that is designed to identify the causes of your IBS symptoms and give the knowledge to design your future diet. However, the low FODMAP diet is always a safe eating plan to return to when you experience IBS symptoms.

So, after you’ve done the FODMAP eliminate phase for 6-8 weeks or so, now what?

Well, first off – are you feeling better? If you’re not after 6-8 weeks, re-examine your food intake and see if you may have slipped up somewhere. It may be a different food for you that triggers your symptoms. For example, my body does not tolerate citrus fruits very well, even though most of them are on the “safe” FODMAP food list. The low FODMAP diet is not a gluten free diet, so maybe gluten is your issue. Do you eat bigger meals? That could be your issue because the diet encourages you to eat in small quantities more frequently throughout the day. Or maybe it’s something as simple as medicine, vitamins, gum, even lip gloss or lipstick that you’re using that could be cause your issues. Check anything that goes near your mouth, including a partner that you kiss.

If you are feeling much better being FODMAP free, and you’re feeling brave to begin to test FODMAP in your diet, here are the next steps to take:

Pick a FODMAP group that you want to test reintroducing into your diet. Choose the one you miss the most. I think most people would start with the fructans because of the wheat and spices. This was not my choice since I had learned to live without garlic and onion with the help of some great replacements, like asafoetida powder. Also, being gluten free for a few years, there were many things, like baked goods, that I no longer craved. However, I missed lactose… very much!

Once you’ve decided on the first FODMAP group to reintroduce, select how you want to attempt it. Choose a food that you miss in a small quantity during dinner. Why dinner? Because if it is unsuccessful, you will most likely be able to sleep through most of the symptoms and it won’t ruin your entire day. Since I chose lactose to reintroduce first, it would be silly of me to attempt a 12oz glass of milk for breakfast, since the quantity is very large and I would most likely be very sick by lunchtime. Instead, at dinner one evening, I chose to incorporate one of these convenient Pastariso Instant Gluten Free Mac & Cheese Cups that I missed dearly.

After you’ve bravely eaten your FODMAP, monitor your symptoms closely and record all the details. Ensure you keep a diary of what you’ve attempted, when you attempted it and all the details to the symptoms you encountered (if any) for the next 24 hours.

If you were unsuccessful in your attempt and your IBS symptoms return, you have clearly indicated one of your triggers (yea!), quantity included. If possible, test a smaller quantity of the FODMAP later in the day and record your symptoms once you are feeling better and your symptoms subside.

If you were successful in your first reintroduction, try something very similar in quantity (from the same FODMAP group) again the next day, and track your symptoms. If this was not successful, refer to the red text above.

If the second test was successful – awesome! It looks like you can safely eat that for dinner! Now try to have that item earlier in the day (lunch) and track your symptoms. Again, if you’re not successful, read the red text. It is common to be OK with the same quantity of things at dinner, but not at lunch. This was my case. While I had no symptoms with eating my GF Mac & Cheese at dinner, I got stomach pain and bloating about 5 hours later after attempting it for lunch. I didn’t notice this when I tested for dinner because I was sleeping, and in the morning I felt fine.

Successful again? Even better! Every time you succeed and feel no symptoms, repeat and add additional quantities of the same FODMAP group to your meal(s). Eventually you’ll get to a point where you notice that the FODMAP group doesn’t impact you at all or you’ll know your limit that you can consume. This process could take from a few days to a month depending on your success rate.

Once you have figured out the safe quantity of the first FODMAP, you can move onto testing the next one of your choice. After about 3 months, you should know what you can tolerate and in what quantities so you can design your diet for the future. For me, I can handle galactans at almost all quantities (welcome back hummus!), and a little bit of lactose, fructose and polyols later in the day. Unfortunately, fructans and I do not get along. Even knowing this, I always eat FODMAP free for breakfast and usually at lunch. This allows me to handle most of my days with ease and go to work like a normal person.

The low FODMAP diet (along with any other treatment) will not “cure” your IBS as some people claim. Unfortunately, there is no cure for IBS and personally I don’t think there ever will be in my lifetime. To find a cure, they would need to find a cause first, while still hasn’t been done. The goal of the low FODMAP diet is to manage your symptoms through your daily diet, which has worked very well for me.

I’d love to hear what FODMAPs have made their way back into your daily diet, so please feel free to leave your comments.

How often have you heard “Let’s go out and celebrate?” Probably very frequently. We celebrate many occasions by going out to eat at restaurants, such as birthdays, anniversaries and accomplishments. Plus, dining out is a great way to learn about someone on a date, connect with friends and spend time with family.

Eating out at restaurants is a social norm and it’s tough to be excluded from all those activities. Choosing the appropriate foods at restaurants while on the low FODMAP diet is not easy and requires some due diligence. By far, the safest options are available at home, but who wants to hibernate in their home all the time? Being social and not limiting my normal activities is a big part of my happiness, so I was determined to find available options in any restaurant.

As a former server, prior to my IBS issues, I tried to accommodate any special requests. However, with the digital age, the message gets a little distorted by the time it gets to the people cooking your meal. And cross contamination is a common occurrence. So be prepared. How you you be prepared? Read on.

Tips to prepare you for dining out at restaurants on the low FODMAP diet:

Know where hidden FODMAP ingredients are.Almost all sauces and soups will not be an option in restaurants due to milk, flour, garlic and/or onions. Even soy sauce contains wheat. Many hamburgers patties include bread crumbs and onions. Even non-breaded fried food has a risk of cross contamination in the fryer. Once you’ve done some serious low FODMAP grocery shopping, you should understand where issues can pop up, and the same goes for almost all restaurants.

Know the menu. Look up the menu online prior to going to the restaurant. This will prepare you for what to order, so you don’t spend an hour reviewing the menu for acceptable items. It also allows you to bring any additional items to accompany your meal. I am a big fan of toting my homemade balsamic dressing to go with a salad, bringing a spice blend for a plain grilled steak and having gluten free soy sauce on hand. If nothing on the menu is doable (i.e. Italian restaurants are tough), suggest another restaurant to your party. If that’s not an option, you can always eat prior and let other know that you already ate. I struggle to do this since its hard to sit and watch others eat, but it is something you can do to not exclude yourself from social gatherings.

Dine at non-peak times. This will allow the restaurant staff the time to incorporate your special needs. If you eat at the dinner rush, a server or chef may not take the time to punch in all your special requests.

Know how to talk to your server. Like it or not, you have to be THAT person with numerous special requests. Approach it in a very friendly manner and you don’t have to be too specific. My line usually goes something like this. “I am so sorry, but I have a number of food allergies, so my order is going to unique.” I may fib a little in that I don’t actually have allergies, but everyone can easily understand this. I learned this when I was gluten free and I told servers that I had a wheat allergy. It was much easier for them to understand this than trying to explain what gluten was.

Never assume anything. Be sure to ask for things without [blank], even if it doesn’t state that ingredient in the menu. For example, salads often come with bread and/or croutons when they are not listed that way in the menu. I’ve had grilled chicken come breaded. I’ve had a steak come with grilled onions because the chef thought it “looked too plain.” Be sure to include details that may be overlooked.

Talk to your fellow diners. If your party doesn’t know about your IBS and why you’re ordering such a unique menu item, they may have questions. I usually don’t bring it up unless they ask, and it determines on the person which answer I give. If its someone I know well, I will briefly tell them about my IBS without going into too much detail (since it’s not great dinner conversation). For example, I will say “I was diagnosed with IBS and I am managing my symptoms through a strict diet.” Usually they follow up with some questions on items you avoid, and I am happy to oblige. More often then not, they ask because they themselves have digestive issues or know someone who does. I have found this to be the case many times and have found that some great friends are dealing with the same issues. If it’s a casual acquaintance, I keep it light and just say that I have multiple food allergies.

Be prepared to say no. Or just have self control. Many of the freebies, such as bread, chips, crackers, etc. that sit on your table won’t be good options. I usually ask them to not bring it out or to remove it from my table. Out of sight, out of mind. In sight, it’s just an ugly reminder of your health issues.

Don’t be afraid to send food back. It’s not worth getting sick over… literally. Again, approach this in a a very kind manner, such as “I am so sorry, but I asked for no onions. Can this be remade?” Usually there is no issues and they will make you a new meal. However, be wary of them just taking it back to the kitchen and removing the items. This has happened to me and I usually ask again for it to be remade.

Stay calm. If the server has issues with you or gives you an attitude at any point, I ask to speak with the Manager in a calm, collected manner and explain what I need. Again, no extra detail is needed and getting angry will never solve anything. From there, it is usually handled and I make it a point to not head back to that restaurant again.

Take food home. Large meals can trigger IBS symptoms, so it’s a good idea to take part of your meal home with you.

Now that you’re prepared to eat out… what can you order? Surprisingly, there’s some great options that will allow you to be happy and healthy. And remember that salt and pepper will become your best friends!

Sample Low FODMAP Restaurant Items to Enjoy:

Eggs, cooked any way. Ensure to ask them to not include any additives, such as flour, milk or spices.

Omelet with Low FODMAP Ingredients. Ensure to ask them to not include any additives, such as flour, milk or spices.

Bacon.

Salads with Oil & Vinegar or Lemon Wedges for Dressing. I usually take my own homemade dressing, which works too. Be sure they don’t include onions, avocados, mushrooms, chickpeas, apples, dried fruit, cashews, croutons or bread. If the salad has any meat or seafood, ensure to ask them to grill it without spices.

Don’t know where to start? I know that feeling all too well. I was very overwhelmed by the low FODMAP diet and where to start. It was scary knowing that most of the foods I was eating were doing the damage to my system. So how do you completely change your thinking about food?

First, get rid of anything that is high in FODMAPs. Check every product in your house and know if it’s a safe food or not. Once you have identified the high FODMAP foods, donate them, throw them out, whatever you need to do, because if you know its available, its easy to eat. I spent an evening cleaning out the pantry, reading every label and what I couldn’t eat, I put on my husband’s shelf (which is out of my normal reach and view). Anything that he didn’t want, we gave to our neighbors who have kids. By far, this was the toughest part because some of my favorite go-to foods ended up on my husband’s shelf.

Next, stock up on some low FODMAP basics. Print out the low FODMAP food list and the high FODMAP food list and spend a long evening at the grocery store inspecting the labels on products. You can get a peek at my favorite low FODMAP items to see what my grocery list looks like. I can save you a lot of time and heart-ache and tell you just to pass on the following products: salad dressings, marinara sauces, marinades, and sauces (like BBQ and steak sauce). I have inspected numerous ingredient labels and almost all of these products contain garlic, onion, honey, high fructose corn syrup or molasses. Here’s a great list of low FODMAP garlic and onion replacements so you can still get great flavor into your food.

Take a look at my low FODMAP recipes that includes some basics like salad dressing, marinara sauce, salsa and mashed potatoes. I am not the best cook in the world, so please don’t be intimidated if you aren’t either. Ensure you pick up some of those ingredients while you’re at the store. Also, as a go-to and a good transition into the diet, pick up some of the low FODMAP brand name packaged foods that I have compiled. Some are winners and some aren’t, but it’s a good base to have some foods you can eat right out of the package.

I have compiled a list of low FODMAP sample meals so you can visualize a my meal plan for yourself. Ensure you have a good base of the ingredients that go into those meals available.

Once you have all your basics in house, an important step is to discuss your new diet with your entire household. Ensure that they understand why you’re eating differently and to please allow you to eat your safe foods (since chances are they’re a little more expensive) while they can enjoy other, less expensive foods. My husband has been very good to incorporate my eating habits into most of our meals, and if he’s eating something I can’t have (that he knows I miss), he will eat in another room. He made the mistake on day 1 of my new diet to comment on how delicious his meal (of all my discarded food) was. I broke down in tears and had a little melt-down because of the limitations I was now faced with. I explained to him how his comment hurt me because it’s difficult to know all the things I am missing out on. He has been much more sensitive since that incident… especially now with how much happier I am.

Next, find your routine. I do a lot of my big cooking once a week and plan my schedule based on what I have. I utilize the freezer a lot to have food on hand in a pinch. I eat a lot of salads and with my quick low FODMAP balsamic dressing, it’s a quick, low calorie meal.

Also, I tend to eat much smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Because the low FODMAP diet is it not only what you eat, but in what quantities. I can always tell when I ate too much, even with all safe foods. My system just can’t take a large quantity of food, so I eat 200-300 calorie meals about 6 times a day. Even if I dine out, I usually save half and take it home. For example, if I take a sandwich, a banana and baby carrots for lunch, I will eat the banana around 10:30am, have the sandwich at 12:30pm and then snack on the carrots around 3:00pm.

For me, it took about 2 weeks to fully immerse myself in the diet as I got more comfortable with preparing some of the foods that I used to buy out of the package. Just assume that convenience foods are out and you have to be prepared for each upcoming meal or snack. When laziness strikes, that’s what you have tortilla chips on hand!

I’m not going to sugar coat it… it’s a tough transition. I felt it was maybe a little easier for me since I was already happily gluten free. Also the hope is that you don’t have to eat this way forever. You should eat FODMAP free for about 6-8 weeks and then reintroduce FODMAPs back into your diet. For me, I can handle galactans at almost all quantities (welcome back hummus!), and a little bit of lactose, fructose and polyols later in the day. Unfortunately, fructans and I do not get along.

If you’re starting on the diet, I am happy to help in any way possible. I’ve been there and you shouldn’t have to do this alone. Please feel free to reach out to me with questions or comments at livinghappywithibs@gmail.com, on Twitter at @LivingHappywIBS or on Pinterest.

Many people ask me… “so what CAN you eat?” Great question from those who are unfamiliar with my diet, but I don’t think they really understand how a question like that can impact someone with dietary restrictions in a negative way. Usually, I just say “plenty of fresh foods” and that ends the conversation without getting too graphic.

However, for those that are on the low FODMAP diet, I often get the question of “what are your favorite low FODMAP items?” That question I am happy to answer with a long list that mirrors my weekly shopping list. I have also provided some information on getting started and sample low FODMAP meals which can be a great way to ease into the diet.

You’ll notice that I shop frequently at Trader Joe’s and have come to find some great, low cost, hidden gems. Luckily, Trader Joe’s is located 3 blocks from my apartment, but if you’re not as lucky to have a TJ’s in your area, you can most likely find similar products elsewhere, but they may cost a bit more.

Gluten Free Asafoetida Powder Ensure it’s made with rice flour and not with wheat flour. I went all around town looking for this, and finally bought it online. You can find it at HerbStop and Spices, Inc.

Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch Granola Bars (Peanut Butter & Almond) I always have one of these with me. They are delicious and convenient. However, these do contain almonds (fructans). They don’t affect me too much, but if they do to you, avoid them.

Overwhelmed by the restriction of the diet? I’ve been there. I searched everywhere for examples of meals that I could eat on the low FODMAP diet. Even simple meals, like a salad were scary due to the limitations of store-bought salad dressings.

There’s really a variety of meals you can have with the diet… even pizza! Of course most of your meals will require a little extra prep and you can probably hide the take-out menus for now. I actually made this list for myself and hung it on the refrigerator to see what all my option were for each meal. It’s a good confidence booster to see what you can eat rather than what you can’t.

Personally, I eat a lot of salads, which allows me to tailor it to what I want that day. I also tend to snack a lot, which is why it was essential for me to know my go-to packaged foods when in a bind. I also tend to stick to smaller meals, since it’s not only what you eat, but how much. You can also get some insight to what my shopping list looks like with my favorite low FODMAP items.

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About Heather

I am a very happy and social girl. I have a passion for new adventures, traveling, food and wine. Unfortunately, my Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has impacted all these things and has challenged me to continue to be the joyful, outgoing person that I am. I have found relief in the low FODMAP diet and while the restrictions are difficult at times, my adventurous spirit has been restored.Learn more about me.